............................ Ordnance ................... WD ........................... MOT ................... HMAV (Commissioned)....... RASC/RCT/RLC ............ RE
Originating under the Board of Ordnance, the War Department Fleet was, up to 1939, entirely civilian manned. During WW2 it expanded with civilian Water Transport Companies & military Motor Boat Companies, becoming the RASC Fleet with 1600 vessels including approx 100 LCTs. Post war 7 LSTs were civilan manned as RASCVs on special MN articles before transferring to commercial management in 1952. Militarisation continued post Suez with the acquisition of ex Naval LCT Mk8s and the subsequent formation of the RCT in 1965 though civilians continued to man Range Safety Craft until 1988 when they transferred to Naval control under DMS(N). Today, 17 Port & Maritime Regiment RLC at Marchwood, runs a much smaller fleet of Ramp Craft Logistic (RCL), Workboats, Landing Craft Vehicle and Personnel (LCVP), MEXEFLOTE rafts and Rigid Raider Craft. Source Cooley. Habesch.